Play It Again
by Lazarus76
Summary: A proposed outing leaves Arthur reflecting on his musical youth. A/A, one-shot.


Disclaimer:** Inception does not belong to me. **

"So...going to do anything for Valentine's Day?"

Arthur looked up at Eames. "We've just had Christmas!" he grumbled. "Do I need to start thinking about that now?!"

"Yes," the Forger said, nodding. "You don't want Ariadne thinking Valentine's isn't special, do you?"

"I-"

"Think of something you could do together," Eames interrupted. "Something you'd both enjoy."

Arthur swallowed. "I don't know. We've been together three months now. I suppose I could take her to a play...?"

"A concert!" Eames almost shouted. "Take her to a concert, Arthur!"

"OK," Arthur nodded. "A concert."

"Just make sure its not boring, ok?"

"Excuse me?"

"Yes. Your boring Mozart, Bach, Debussy..." Eames shook his head, looking slightly disgusted. "Just make sure you don't take her to a concert that's going to put her to sleep, allright?"

"So what are you saying?" Arthur looked at him, smiling slightly.

"Something passionate!"

"OK." Arthur nodded. "I'll take her to the opera."

"Opera..." Eames looked slightly nauseated. "Right. If you say so."

* * *

"He's taking me to the opera?!" Ariadne blinked. Eames nodded, grinning. "Yep."

"But I..."

"Don't like opera?"

"Well, I-" Ariadne swallowed, trying to control her face. "Its a little-"

"Dull, boring, stuffy?"

"Heavy," she finished, slightly annoyed at Eames' interruption. "It can be a little...heavy."

Eames nodded. "I know. You should have picked me. I would have taken you to something wild and sexy!"

"Really?" she asked, raising an eyebrow at him.

"Yes, really," he protested.

"Such as?"

"Well, I-" Eames swallowed. "Jack White."

Ariadne suppressed a smile. "If you say so."

* * *

"Opera," Arthur muttered. "Opera." He frowned - taking Ariadne to opera, he was sure, would be the kiss of death to their burgeoning relationship.#

He sighed. He knew exactly where he would like to take her - but he had a feeling she would not be overly impressed. Swallowing, he headed to his bedroom in his neat apartment, and opened a drawer, pulling out a photo album.

As he flipped through, he smiled, and cringed slightly. Photos of him at 20 were a shock compared to his appearance ten years later. He blinked.

"Oh, god", he muttered, "did I think I was cool?!"

Suddenly, the door bell rang, interrupting his thoughts. He hastily slid the album under a pile of underwear, and headed to the door.

"Ariadne!" he smiled and opened the door, and she reached up for a kiss. "Good to see you!"

"Arthur," she said, smiling almost nervously, "I wanted to ask you about Valentine's Day."

"Of course."

"Well, a concert would be nice," she said, smiling. "But, if you really want to go to the opera..."

He blinked, frowning. "Eames." She nodded. "Well, if you don't enjoy opera-"

"Oh, if you'd enjoy it, it'll be fine!" she said, hastily.

"What makes you think I'd enjoy it?" he demanded, folding his arms.

"Well, you-"

"Wear suits," he interrupted, " and look like the kind of guy who'd enjoy listening to people drone in Italian or German for five hours." He shook his head. "Let me show you something..."

Her curiosity piqued, she followed him into the bedroom.

* * *

"So, tonight's the night," Eames commented. Arthur looked up and nodded. "Uh -huh."

"So, what are you going to see? Carmen?" Eames faced was in a fixed grin. "The Magic Flute?"

Arthur smiled. "Not exactly." He got up, and grabbed his jacket. "Ari!"

She hurried out from the kitchenette, smiling. "Looking forward to this!"

Arthur nodded. "So am I, its been ten years since I last saw them!"

"What?" Eames blinked.

"You said I should take Ariadne to something passionate? Stirring?" Arthur asked.

"Yes-"

"What could be more passionate or stirring than Motley Crue?" Arthur countered.

"What?!" Eames almost shrieked. "They're a heavy metal band!"

"Yes." Arthur nodded. Leaning over, he dropped a photo in Eames' lap. Eames blinked, and held it up.

In the centre of the photo was a very skinny early twentysomething, with a shock of long, dark, slightly matted hair, beard growth, and a scowl. A Metallica t-shirt and faded jeans completed the look. Eames turned and looked at Arthur.

"That's not you?!"

"Yep." Arthur nodded. "At age 20."

"So when did you..."

"I could hardly get a job looking like that," Arthur pointed out. "But, you can put a suit on a metal head, but you can't take the metal head out of the suit." He grinned and reached for Ariadne's hand. "Come on!"

Eames watched as the two of them headed for the stairs, shaking his head. "Metal," he sniffed. "What a hesher!"

**All reviews appreciated, thank you!**


End file.
